English
injustice
Injustice comes from Old French injustice, from Latin iniustitia ‘injustice, unfairness, inequity’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew- ‘straight, upright, right’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂yew-‘straight, upright, right’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂yéwosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*jowos‘court of law’reconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCE*iowosreconstructed
- Archaic Latin, derivedc. 700–75 BCEiovestos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEiūstus‘just, righteous’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEiūstitia‘justice, fairness, equity’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEiniustitia‘injustice, unfairness, inequity’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400injustice
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1971same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂yew-‘straight, upright, right’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂yéwosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*jowos‘court of law’reconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCE*iowosreconstructed
- Archaic Latin, derivedc. 700–75 BCEiovestos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEiūstus‘just, righteous’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEiūstitia‘justice, fairness, equity’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEiniustitia‘injustice, unfairness, inequity’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400injustice
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1971same form
Earliest quotation: 1971, Lyndon Johnson, The Vantage Point: “I was not just the President of Southern Americans…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew- ‘straight, upright, right’
yet, jurist, injurious, 23 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂yéwos
through Proto-Italic *jowos ‘court of law’
judge, judgment, judicial, preach, judiciary, prejudice, predicament, predicate, judicious, adjudicate, judicature, 24 more
through Archaic Latin *iowos
through Archaic Latin iovestos
justify, justification, 3 more
through Latin iūstus ‘just, righteous’
Today it means
noun Absence of justice; unjustice.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew- / injustice